For example, an information processing apparatus which outputs data such as print data or the like stores default values in an area determined according to a given rule. Therefore, default values remain unchanged unless the contents of that area are changed, and arbitrary values of user's choice cannot be set as default values. One method allows various settings via a user interface (UI) by providing a list of setting items whose default values are to be changed and values to be set as default values. Also, another method has a function of restoring defaults irrespective of setting items that have been changed upon changing the values of setting items. For example, a given printer driver has a select item “restore defaults”, and respective setting values can be restored to default values by selecting this item.
However, default values used in such printer driver are predetermined values, and the user cannot change them to arbitrary values of his or her choice. This is because the printer driver is prepared after default values are designated.
Therefore, in order to use values designated by various users as default values, printer drivers which have values designated by respective users as default values must be prepared in correspondence with the number of requirements or printer drivers must be prepared by combining all default values.
Alternatively, arbitrary values designated by each user are stored in addition to these default values, and when values of user's choice are available upon loading the default values, these values are loaded and displayed in place of the default values. However, a complicated process is required to load various default values for print settings in correspondence with users. For this purpose, each user must understand the data structure of print settings, and also the detailed specifications of printer drivers, which are modified frequently, resulting in impractical proposals.